The Reports of Edward Coke - 1602

Sir Edward Coke was an English barrister, judge and, later, opposition politician, who is considered to be the greatest jurist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.

A portrait of a brunette man in his 40s, with a brunette beard and mustache. He is wearing a shapeless black robe and a Jacobean ruff; to the right of his head is a coat of arms with a motto underneath it. On the bottom right of the portrait is a paragraph of indistinguishable text, while the entire picture is captioned "Given by the descendent Thomas William Coke 1780+".

Coke's Law Reports (a.k.a. Coke's Reports) were a collection of judgements from cases he had participated in, watched, or heard of. Contemporaries such as Theodore Plucknett, John Baker, and Francis Bacon praised the work's richness of detail, and foresaw the influence and importance of the reports. The reports were originally written into seven notebooks, four of which are lost.

This volume still has it's closure ties, though the cover does show extensive wear and tear. 

Full title in French:
Le second part des reportes del Edvvard Coke Lattorney Generall de Roigne de diuers matters en ley, auec grand & mature consideration resolue, & ... adiudge par deuant.

It appears the rest of the text is in Latin.

Though the cover shows some aging, as do the corners of pages, the text is still intact. This is pretty great considering this item is around 415 years old!

The Tryal of Thomas 1st Earl of Macclesfield

We just got in a lovely 1725 copy of the proceedings in the trial of Thomas Earl of Macclesfield. Not having much knowledge about this trial, I decided to do some research.

Thomas Parker was the son of an attorney (of the same name), who stayed in the family business. In 1691 he was called to the bar, and became a Member of Parliament. He served under the monarchs Queen Anne and King George I, and was was a favorite of the King; so much so, he was knighted in 1705 and made Privy Counsellor in 1710 after refusing the office of Lord Chancellor.

The Earl of Macclesfield, as depicted by Sir Godfrey Kneller.

Thomas was Lord Chief Justice, the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, from 1710 to 1718, during which time he was elevated in title to Baron Parker of Macclesfield. His movement up the ladder did not stop there. When Queen Anne died on August 1, 1714 her successor, George I, was in Germany, so Baron Parker was designated Regent until the new king could take the crown. Parker ended up governing until September 18, 1718, and even gave the King's Speech in the House of Lords since the new monarch could not speak English.

In 1718, he became Lord Chancellor, and was eventually advanced to the title of Earl of Macclesfield in 1721 with an additional title of Viscount Parker. However in 1725, fortune averted her gaze from Parker. In this year, Parker was impeached and tried in the House of Lords. The ruling was found unanimously to convict him of corruption. It turns out, Parker took more than £100,000 in bribes, which is somewhere in the range of  £11,000,000 today. He was jailed in the Tower of London and required to pay a £30,000 fine before being released. This conviction lead Parker to resign as Lord Chancellor, and to be struck off the roll of the Privy Council.

Unfortunately for Parker, his money was confiscated as part of court proceedings, and thus, this once wealthy man had no resources to quickly pay his fine. Once released from the Tower, Parker spent the rest of his life at his son's estate, Shirburn Castle. 

Thomas Ashe's First Work - 1588

This Christmas miracle is a beautifully preserved first edition of Thomas Ashe's first work titled:

"La Table al lieur des Reports del tresreuerend Judge Sir Iames Dyer Dhiualer, iades chiefe Iustice del common banke: per quel facilment & troueront toutes choses conteinus in icel ore tarde compose per T[homas] A[she]"

Ashe was an English legal writer who entered as a student of he Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, one of the four professional associations for barristers and judges in London, in 1574. He was called to the bar on January 24, 1582-3 and finally became pensioner of his inn on October 17, 1597.

This work is the first abridgment of any reports of a named reporter, and launched Ashe's career as the master and pioneer of this genre of legal literature.

The work is bound in contemporary calf. 

Minimal cracking, and firm joints

Happy Birthday, Harry! (A Celebration of Harry Potter Program)

Happy Birthday, Harry!

Theme: Harry Potter and the magical world of JK Rowling

Target Audience Description: This program is intended for children, young adults, and adults who enjoy Harry Potter. Parent/guardians are welcome and encouraged to stay for the program, as previously stated, it is intended for adults as well as children.

Date: The program is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 31^st 2016 at 3:00pm, and will last about an hour. The date is not only Harry Potter’s birthday, but it is also a Sunday, which will allow parents to have time to bring their children to the event. Being offered at 3:00pm, Sunday activities such as church should not be affected by the timing.

Warm-up Music: As attendees gather John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme” will play (5 min)

Traditional Story: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot” from Rowling, J. K. (2008). The tales of Beedle the Bard. New York: Children's High Level Group in association with Arthur A. Levine Books. (10 min)

When a son’s magical father passes away, the son, believing he has none of his father’s talents, refuses help to the villagers his father so often help. However, when the father’s old cauldron begins to show the ailments of those turned away, the son, having been annoyed to no end by the cauldron, steps in and helps the townsfolk.

Multimedia: “HOGWARTS: Which House Are You?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Z5_wipT2o) (2 min)

Showing this funny video is a good transition to the next, darker story. It also gives the storyteller time to ready props for the next story.

Prop Story: “The Tale of the Three Brothers” from Rowling, J. K. (2008). The tales of Beedle the Bard. New York: Children's High Level Group in association with Arthur A. Levine. (10 min)

Three brothers use magic to cheat death, who is upset by this. He grants each a wish as a “reward.” These rewards are not what they seem, and as events play out each brother meets death in his own way. While most view this story as one that teaches children morals, such as humility and wisdom, others believe the story refers to the Deathly Hallows, three highly powerful magical artifacts coveted by generations of wizards.

Multimedia: “Dark Lord Funk – Harry Potter Parody of ‘Uptown Funk’” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbdvogFyZZM) (5 min)

Getting everyone up and moving, it’s a dance party! Let’s face it, you can’t NOT tap your foot to the beats of “Uptown Funk,” so hopefully it’ll be like someone cast tarantallegra upon the whole room! It is also a great way to lighten the mood after the previous story, and give time for the puppets to be set up for the next story.

Puppet Story: “The Fountain of Fair Fortune” rom Rowling, J. K. (2008). The tales of Beedle the Bard. New York: Children's High Level Group in association with Arthur A. Levine. (10 min)

There is a fountain where once per year, one person may bathe in its waters and have his/her problems answered. Three witches are on the quest to find this fountain, and on the way encounter challenges that will test them, and might just help solve their problems.

Craft: Make your own wands! Attendees will be able to make their own wands via paper, paint and hot glue. Children will need to be supervised or helped with the use of hot glue and paints. (http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-awesome-Harry-Potter-wand-from-a-sheet-of-/?ALLSTEPS) (15-20 min)

Evaluation: Evaluation will mostly be informal. A headcount will be done for children and adults (separately), and observation of attentiveness and engagement throughout the different stories/events will give insight into which types of stories and events local children and adults really connect with. During the crafting session, the librarian would walk around and talk to parents, children, and adults to see if they would be interested in coming to another similar event. The librarian would also ask for input if anyone had suggestions for improvement or development of a reading program.

Publicity: Attached PDF flyer will be displayed publicly at the event location, as well as distributed and displayed at local businesses (Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Target, etc.). It could also be announced on local radio and television stations. Also, ideally, there would be lots of signage at the location to draw attention from passers-by.

Budget: $450.00

·         Advertising $50.00

·         Food $300.00

·         Materials $100.00

o   Props

o   Craft Supplies

The program will be funded by community donations, whether monetary or in the form of materials, food, or advertising/printing services.

An Analysis on the Discussion List: Young Adult Library Association & Digital Preservation

        Subscription to professional discussion lists allows librarians a place to share interesting information and talk about issues within respective areas of librarianship. This analysis will cover the discussion lists of Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and Digital Preservation (DigiPres), and hopes to discuss the material posted, things learned, interesting posts that stood-out to the author, likelihood of following continuation, the likelihood of the author recommending this discussion list to others, and what population would likely gain the most from subscription.

            Discussion lists can be the lifeblood for new research and professional development within communities. While all librarians share similarities, having a group of professionals that do exactly what you do available for discussion and idea bouncing is invaluable to the growth of that specialized community. Not only can they offer guidance in your current position, they can offer listings of new positions or professional development seminars/conferences practitioners and researchers may wish to attend. Just like snowflakes, each discussion list is different from the next. This paper compares and contrasts the discussion lists of Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and Digital Preservation (DigiPres), and hopes to offer insight on what discussion lists really can offer the library community.

What type of material is posted?

YALSA

            The YALSA discussion list is very active, having close to 100 unique posts within a month. The information posted varies, and can range from casting of upcoming movies/TV shows based on young adult literature to help with a reference request. The members also offer recommendations for personal reading as well as professional initiatives within a library. No question or topic is off the table within the realm of young adult literature/patronage on this discussion list.

DigiPres

            The DigiPres discussion list had a moderate amount of posts, 37 within a month. The main material posted is job postings, call to papers, course listings, and conference information. There did not seem to be collaboration between digital preservationists, as there were no responses to the only interesting post I found.

Did you learn anything of interest?

YALSA

            Early in my YALSA subscription, I came upon a cataloging question. I found it rather interesting. It was in regards to genre stickers, stickers that are used to denote the different genres within young adult literature (e.g. dystopian future, romance, science fiction, etc.). Some librarians stated they used colored dots with a posted legend, but patrons did not seem to use it. However, it proved to be easy for librarians to shelve the material with said stickers. I thought this was a unique way of dividing the literature and making it easier for patrons to find books within the genre they enjoyed.

DigiPres

            I was made acutely aware of the job and publication opportunities in the field. I also found it interesting that there was little to no interaction between the users of the discussion list. There was a specific post that I discuss below that I thought would insight discussion, however, there was no feedback.

Did anything specifically stand out?

YALSA

            There was a recent post that discussed transgender individuals (Schultz, 2016), novels that offer reading support, and supplemental information about librarian interactions (what to say/not to say). I thought it was great that this discussion list not only supported and offered information about young adult literature/services, but it also supported the patrons themselves, as well as the librarians. I thought this was great, because dealing with young adults, their time in life is so volatile with hormones and emotions, that having literature and librarian training on how to interact with their specific clientele.

DigiPres

One post really stood out to me (Williams, 2016), a link to an article on cultural genocide that received no response. I thought for sure this would insight conversation, as it very applicable to modern times, but it seemed to be taken as a link only.

Do you plan to continue following this discussion list? Why or why not?

YALSA

            I will definitely continue following the YALSA discussion list, because my guilty pleasure is young adult literature. Books, movies, TV shows, you name it – I am in. I think this is an excellent resource for not only young adult librarians, but also for fans of young adult literature. I feel as though there is enough of variety in information that I will be able to find multiple posts daily interesting and informative.

DigiPres

            While I am interested in digital preservation, I did not find enough useful or interesting information offered by the discussion list members to interest me in maintaining my subscription. If anything, I felt it was “junking up” my inbox.

Would you encourage others to follow it?

If so, what type of person would this discussion list be of most interest to?

YALSA

            I would definitely encourage others to follow this discussion list. Particularly, young adults, those interested in young adult literature, and young adult librarians. Not only is this a valuable list for librarians, if you care about the genre of young adult literature, or the things that are most important to young adult culture right now – this is the place for you. I would even suggest high school English teachers to keep an eye on this message board, as there are a number of invaluable discussions and posts going on here.

DigiPres

            I would only encourage those interested in finding a job in preservation or in presenting preservation research to follow this list. Other than these two topics, the discussion list is useless.

References

Schultz, L (2016, January 28). [yalsa-bk] What Not to Say to a Transgender Person [Electronic
           mailing list message]. Retrieved from http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/yalsa-bk

Williams, J (2016, February 9) [Digipres] Why can't we protect cultural heritage? [Electronic
           mailing list message]. Retrieved from http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/digipres

Classification of Resources IV: Information Architecture, Digital Libraries, and Social Classification

Subject Access Problem, Revisited

• How does this apply to Web searching?
• Automatic indexing (earlier in semester), such as what Google docs: Does a centralized index address the soda versus pop controversy?
• Today, we explore possibilities that center on the human organizing of Web resources.

Challenge of Providing Access to Web Resource Collections

• Can we build true digital *libraries*?
• Can we systematically arrange Web resource collections by subject in a way that is useful to those seeking information? 
• Can we replicate the "great reduction" phenomenon?
• Can we insert these digital libraries into the lives of our users where the time available for finding information is like to be a major constraint?
• While at home
• While at work

Search vs. Browse of Info Resources

• Search
• Of surrogates
• Bibliographic
• Cataloging
• Verbal subject analysis
• Results list
• A website's search engine
• Browse
• Of actual info resources
• Bibliothecal
• Shelf arrangement
• Classification
• Navigation
• A website's architecture

Organizing Hyperlinks to Web Content

• Hyperlinks to what types of files?
• Text
• Audio
• Video
• Powerpoint
• etc.
• Hyperlinks to whose content and to what kind of structures?
• Content: Our own content ("stickiness") or someone else's content (traditional library approach)
• Structure: Websites, sub-sites or webpages

Classification & Hyperlink Organizing

• Main goal is to transcend the limitations of shelf arrangement in physical libraries:
• E.g. multiple class numbers in classified catalog
• Arranging links in multiple hierarchical locations (poly-hierarchy)
• Another important goal is to take end-user perspective into account:
• "Views" of a website in the case customized for "Future Students", "Current Students", etc. 
• Social bookmarking (let "pop" be pop)

What is the Documentary Unit?

• For collections of hyperlinks to internal Web resources (i.e., self contained websites):
• Keeping users on the webpages of your website
• The emerging field of Information Architecture
• Also referred to as navigation design for self-contained websites with few links to external content.
• About creating navigational and organizational structures that put users in touch with the information they need in a website as efficiently as possible (similar to physical library signage, but also vocabulary control for labels).
• Job titles include:
• Interaction/Interface Designer
• Usability Engineer
• User Experience Designer (UX)
• For collections of hyperlinks to external Web resources:
• Linking to webpages: Google and other search engines
• Linking to web sub-sites: Human constructed link indexes such as those on library websites
• Linking on entire websites: Human constructed link indexes such as those on library websites.

Structural Standards for Web Resources

• Are websites structured link books? No. Not always. That's why we have to worry about the differing structuring of information. 
• There is a lack of standards for structuring websites across publishers:
• Many "vanity" web publishers
• "Commercial publishers are making inroads

How Libraries Organize Web Resources

• Standards approach: Cataloging - use of 856 tag:
• MaRC information
• Example: "Data mining your website
• Customization approach - Web lists by subject:
• Mathematics (list at University of Alabama Rodgers Library)

Faceted Classification (Non-hierarchical)

• Can be a part of a comprehensive system, e.g. Colon Classification
• Ranganathan, PMEST and the Colon Classification 
• Fungal diseases in the rice crops of Madras, 1950-1959: J381,4:433.441'N5
• Can be a part of a hierarchical system as a non-hierarchical specification of the aspects of a subject:
• DDC and LCC have tables for geographic and other facts
• NCSU Catalog
• Home Depot
• Often Used for web organization:
• Iokio CameraFinder

Social Classification

• User added metadata
• Shared resources (commonly used for collections of photos and URLs)
• Organized via third party collaborative websites.
• Also known as folksonomy, ethnoclassification and free-tagging.
• Tagging - the establishment of a relationship between an online resource and a user:
• No centralized vocabulary control
• However, intent is to match an individual with other individuals who not only have the same interest, but also share the same way to express the aboutness of that resource (let "pop" be pop and "soda" be soda)
• Contexts (know what is being organzied!) [ e.g. Photographs]
• Virtual Photographic "Shoeboxes"
• Collections of digital photographs stored at a third party website
• Users "Tag" their photos with descriptors and descriptors can be searched.
• Lack of vocabulary control; however, in this "social" context, netiher precision nor recall is important. 
• EXAMPLE: third party photo aggregator: Flickr

Know your Resource Collection!

• What type of resource?
• Pages or collection of pages?
• Webpages, articles, books or other?
• Are they structured consistently?
• Do they follow conventions of publishing?
• How are resources organized?
• Searchable surrogates?
• Authority control?
• Automatically indexed?
• Human (professional or civilian) indexer?
• Browsable directly?
• Both searchable and browseable?

Article Summary for Lecture # 14 - Manuel

Digital as a Hegemonic Medium for Epistemology and Knowledge Organization

Epistemology was born in the European Modernity in order to control others’ knowledge. Its study deals with foundations, criteria and validation by which scientific knowledge is justified, including historical, political, economic, social, etc. circumstances. Rosa San Segundo Manuel, and Daniel Martinez-Avila believe that the approach of epistemology have changed within the 21^st century. New social conditions, industrial production, advances in medical and scientific research reflect the changing involvement of technology in day-to-day life. They cite the internet as a bringer of change in media, scientific and epistemic contexts.

                Manuel, et al., break down information into three main ages of human history:

• The Oral Age – Primitive ideas of social organization and structuring were developed. Information was transferred orally, kept internally.
• The Written Age – Developed a need to organize all the written knowledge. Writing and the role of the printing press allowed ideas to be shared with a wider audience.
• The Digital Age – Current age. Printed and oral information become digitized and uploaded onto the web.

The authors also note the organization of knowledge in the digital environment is represented, invented, and articulated with two new fundamental instruments: a material one, digital technology, and a symbolic one, the deposited culture.

                According to Manuel, et al., culture is being subordinated to technology, and theorize that soon there will be a digital repository of all constructed objects of a culture – making the digital not only the instrument and the location, but also the content itself. In this new culture, individuals will participate through blogs, wikis, and social networks. They believe digital natives have a new way of thinking in the Digital Age that embraces the hybridization of materials, formats, and texts, globalization of information, connectivity, virtuality, and hypertextuality.

                These digital natives do not read the same way printed text is meant to be read, and have new ways of learning, memorizing, and participating via Web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies. They are immersing themselves into digital reality- they have an electronic mailbox, participate in social networks, communicate via blogs, wikis, etc. The authors believe this will lead to a change in epistemology, which will be a sort of post-epistemology that approaches a new structure of knowledge.

                Overall, I agree with the authors’ ideas about the evolution of technology, and how the digital world is slowly changing the world in which we organize, study, and evaluation information. However, I found Manuel and Martinez-Avila’s article a little too brief. There were several ideas presented that I felt could be expounded upon, and found their highly technical vocabulary hard to decipher and navigate without a second pass. This being the case, it was a little difficult to extrapolate information to create this post, but do feel as though the article has its merits. This article does present some very interesting points about the future of information study, so if you are interested in how the digitization of our lives is affecting this, then this article is definitely for you!

_____________________________________________________________________________

For more information and clarification, check out the full article (citation below)!

Manuel, R., & Martinez-Avila, D. (2014). Digital as a hegemonic medium for epistemology and knowledge organization. Advances in Knowledge Organization 14:96-100.

Classification of Resources III: Research Library Schemes

Classification Definitions

• Classification - the act of organizing a body of knowledge into a systematic order
• In libraries: the systematic arrangement by subject of books and other materials on shelves, or of catalog and index entries, in a manner that is most useful to those who read or those who seek a definite piece of information.
• Shelving device
• Organization device

Characteristic of a Classification System

• Inclusive and comprehensive
• Systematic
• Flexible and expansive (i.e. hospitable)
• Employ terminology that is clear and descriptive
• Indexed

Classified Shelf Arrangement of Books

• Collocating objective: bringing like things together on library shelves:
• Subject criterion: But what about books on multiple topics?
• Author criterion: But what about books by multiple authors?
• Need a system for the unique identification of resources in open stack libraries through the use of notational systems and call numbers.

Notational Systems

• Notation marks (aka "classmarks") represent a book's subject class, including its relation to other subject classes in a classification scheme.
• Most common types:
• Pure - e.g., DDC employs Arabic numerals
• Mixed - e.g., LCC employs an alpha-numeric notation
• Mnemonics:
• Repeating class notation patterns throughout classification
• This technique is also used in the MaRC system

Shelf Arrangement and Sub-arrangement

• Library classification schemes provide:
• A systematic method for shelf arrangement in open stack libraries
• A systematic method for sub-arrangement within each class
• To accomplish this goal, catalogers synthesize (i.e. create) class numbers to represent the subject of a book
• This process remains transparent to the user (i.e. the user is more interested int he fact that books are collocated on the shelf rather than how the numbers were determined.

Cuttering to Create a Call Number

• Used to create call numbers (UIs) for individual library collections.
• Provides the link between the surrogate record an the actual item in the collection
• Provides for both subject and non-subject (e.g. author) oriented sub-arrangement in open stack libraries. 
• After the class notation is determined, then the cuttering process begins.
• Use a cutter table:
• There may be more than one cutter table floating around!
• Cuttering is a flexible process; only use table as a guide
• Steps for cuttering:
• Determine the first letter of main entry (most often taken from 100 tag; but could be 245 tag)
• Use number associated with second letter of main entry
• Add additional numbers until call number is unique 
• Add date
• You may have 1 or 2 cutter numbers, BUT you may never have 3.
• In the LCC, cuttering instructions are given in the schedules:
• Assists in topical, geographical and other non-main entry-based sub-arrangement
• Occasionally, this involves double cuttering, thus precluding the use of main entry-based cutters. 

LCC - General Points

• Mixed notations
• All letters are not used (reserved for expansion)
• Subject specialists develop and maintain the class schedules, rather than centralized editors as is the case with the DDC.
• Designed to meet the needs of the collection of the Library of Congress.
• Based on literary warrant: Schedules developed with reference to what has been published. 
• Hierarchical; however, NOT reflected in notation. 
• LCC Classification outline:
• Divided into main classes according to academic discipline or areas of study and then into sub-classes representing branches of those disciplines
• Larger range of letters for History (C-G) and Social Sciences (H-L)
• Numericals used range from 1-9999 with frequent gaps

LCC is Essentially Enumerative

• Aspects of subjects are explicitly provided for (i.e. enumerated) in the schedules:
• More "pigeonholes" created in advance to represent very specific topics and topical aspects.
• However, tables are also used to synthesize complex class notations (not as often as with the DDC)
• As an enumerative classification, the LCC schedules are more voluminous than many other schemes:
• 50 volumes
• 10,000 pages.

Consistent Structuring: Martel's 7 points

• Initially, Charles Martel provided basis for consistent structuring across divisions:
• General forms: periodicals, societies, dictionaries, etc
• Theory, Philosophy
• History
• Treatises, General works
• Law, Regulations, State relations (now relocated to K)
• Study and teaching
• Special subjects and their subdivision from general to specific

LCC has Many Editors 

• LCC has been referred to as a series of special classifications (though compare with NLM)
• However, individual LCC schedules are structured identically:
• Preface
• Broad outline
• Detailed outline
• The schedule, itself
• Any necessary, auxiliary tables
• Detailed index

Revising LCC with Topic Subdivisions

• Constitute the bulk of the expansion of classes and subclasses
• EXAMPLE: Women Suffrage in U.S. (JK1880)
• Note geographical subdivision of "Women's Suffrage. Women's right to vote" - in this case, cutter by location
• Also note geographic subdivision under subtopic "Biography"

Procedures for Revision and Expansion

• Proposals for changes originate with LC catalogers:
• Anomalies
• New topics
• Some methods for expansion:
• Using unused letters (I, O,W, X and Y)
• Adding a third letter (or sometimes a fourth)
• Extending existing numbers decimally
• Expanding use of cuttering

General Steps for Classifying with LCC

• Because of disciplinary aspects of LCC, first check for appropriate schedule to match subject of item in hand and then determine the best class number within the selected schedule. 
• Class item in hand with similar works:
• Consult existing records
• Consult class numbers mapped from assigned LCSH
• Consult LCC outlines

Classifying General Works

• Under most numbers with subdivisions, a number is designated for "general works."

Classifying Works on Single Topics

• Always use the most specific class number that is co-extensive with the subject matter of the work.
• If no co-extensive number exists, then the next appropriate broader number should be used. 

Classifying Works by Time Period

• For works treating a topic with regard to a particular time period. For those works spanning two periods use earliest. 
• DC History of France:
• DC725 Earliest to 1515
• DC727 16th century
• DC729 17th-18th century
• DC731 1789-1815
• DC733 1815-1870
• DC735 1871-1914
• DC736 1914-1921
• DC737 1922-

Multi-Faceted Single Topic Works

• Works covering multiple facets of a single topic.
• If available, use a class number representing all facets:
• Idea of the English landscape painter: genius as Alibi in the eary ninetheenth century by Kay Dian Kriz
• ND1354.5.K75 1997
• If number covering all facets is not available, go with the emphasized or more prominent facet:
• Elizabethan mineatures, by Carl Winter
• ND1337.G7.W5 1955

Classifying Works on Multiple Topics

• A work on two or three topics treated equally:
• Use number for the topic treated first
• QD412.A7 C53 1994 - Chemistry of organic arsenic, antimony, and bismuth compounds
• A work on four or more topics:
• Use a general number that encompasses all numbers chosen
• RA566.3.C48 1992 - Changing U.S. health care; a study of four metropolitan areas

Classifying Works with Phase Relations

• A work covering the relationship between two topics is classed in the most specific number covering the relationship:
• QK46.5.H85 P66 2001 - Botany of desire; a plant's eye view of the world
• QK46.5.H85 - Botany > Human-plant relationship
• A work covering the influence of one topic on another is classed with the topic being influenced:
• LA2317.T8 M3 1899x - Henry Tutwiler and the influence of the University of Virginia on education in Alabama
• LA2317.T8 - History of U.S. Education > Individual biography

Cuttering for Geographical Aspects

• Geographical cuttering option is often available in parts of the schedules:
• Use either general or specialized cutter table
• EXAMPLE:
• Visual Arts Education:
• N353.A-W - General works in Visual Arts in U.S.
• N354.A-Z - General works in Visual Arts in a state
• N355.A-Z - General works in Visual arts in a city

Cuttering Sub-topics - "Reserve Cutters"

• Cuttering by topical aspect is also sometimes available - this is termed "reserve cuttering"
• Style, Composition, Rhetoric:
• P301 - General Works
• P301.3.A-Z - General Works by region or country
• P301.5.A-Z - Special Aspects A-Z
• P301.5.134 - Idioms
• P301.5.P73 - Propoganda

Classification of Resources II: Public Library Schemes

Classification Definitions:

• The act of organizing a body of knowledge into a systematic order
• In libraries: The systematic arrangement by subject of books and other materials on shelves, or of catalog and index entries, in a manner that is most useful to those who read or those who seek a definite piece of information
• Shelving Device
• Organization Device

Characteristics of a Classification System 

• Inclusive and comprehensive
• Systematic
• Flexible and expansive/hospitable to new knowledge
• Employ terminology that is clear and desriptive
• Indexed

Notational Systems

• Notation marks (a.k.a. "classmarks") represent a book's subject class, including its relation to other subject classes in a classification scheme. 
• Most common types:
• Pure - e.g. DDC employs Arabic numerals
• Mixed - e.g. LLC employs an alpha-numeric notation
• Mnemonics:
• Repeating class notation patterns throughout classification
• This technique is also used in the MaRC system

Shelf Arrangement and Sub-arrangement

• Library classification schemes provide:
• A systematic method for shelf arrangement in open stack libraries
• A systematic method for sub-arrangement within each class
• To accomplish this goal, catalogers synthesize (i.e., create) class numbers to represent the subject of a book. 
• This process remains transparent to the user, i.e., the user is more interested in the fact that books are collocated on the shelf rather than how the numbers were determined.

Historical Development of DDC

• First published in 1876 - "A Classification and Subject Index for Cataloging and Arranging the Books and Pamphlets of a Library."
• Current edition: 23rd 
• Electronic version available
• Most widely used classification scheme in the world (135 countries - translated into 30 languages)
• Innovations:
• Relative index
• Integrity of numbers (with 2nd edition)

Conceptual Framework of DDC

• Basic classes are organized by discipline (i.e., fields of study).
• Divisions of DDC:
• Ten main classes (0XX, 1XX, 2XX, etc), which together cover the entire world of knowledge
• Each main class is divided into ten divisions (100 total divisions in DDC)
• Each division is divided into ten sections (1000 total sections in DDC)
• Class 000 is most general
• Used for works not limited to any specific discipline (e.g., encyclopedias, newspapers, general periodicals)
• Used for certain specialized disciplines that deal with knowledge and information (e.g., library science, computer science, journalism)
• Each of the other main classes (1XX to 9XX) comprises a major disciplien or group of related disciplines. 
• DDC IS ARRANGED PRIMARILY BY DISCIPLINE AND NOT BY SUBJECT; therefore, a given subject is likely to appear under more than one class numbers.

Relative Index

• Disciplinary focus of DDC causes subjects to be scattered across the classification; the Relative Index to the schedules is needed to collocate. 
• Relative index relates subjects to the various disciplines to which they may belong:
• Journalism - generally found at 070.4
• Journalism - civil rights issues at 323.445
• Journalism - sociology at 302.23
• Dewey's theoretical contribution to library classification.

Principle of Hierarchy

• Structural Hierarchy (inheritance):
• Whatever is true of the whole is true of the parts
• This is termed "hierarchical force"
• EXAMPLE:
• All classmarks under 5XX are related to the natural sciences and/or mathematics
• All classmarks under 612.1... are related to blood and circulation
• Notational hierarchy (relationships between concepts):
• Subordinate: 621.4 is subordinate to 621
• Coordinate: 621.4 is coordinate with 621.6
• Superordinate: 621 is superordinate to 621.4

Revision Process for DDC

• Suggestions sent to Library of Congress
• Reviewed by:
• LC - Decimal Classification Division
• OCLC - Forest Press
• 6 DDC editors
• Editorial Policy Committee (EPC)
• Role of EPC (Editorial Policy Committee)
• Works closely with DDC editors to:
• Suggest changes
• Facilitate innovations
• Monitor general development of the Classification
• Reviews all versions of the Classification:
• Print
• WebDewey
• Full edition
• Abridged edition
• EPC Membership
• 10 member international committee
• Elected membership represents Dewey users worldwide
• Members come from all types of libraries
• Current representation:
• American Library Association
• Australian Committee on Cataloging
• Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
• Library of Congress
• National Library of Canada
• OCLC
• Types of Revisions
• Expansion:
• Introduction of new subject as part of a class scheme
• Provides more minute subdivisions
• Reduction:
• Rarely used subdivisions are deleted and marked by brackets([]) in the class scheme listing
• "Starvation policy" allows DDC to phase out the deleted numbers with the next edition printed
• Relocations:
• To rectify an improper placement
• To eliminate duel provisions
• To make room for new subjects when there is not available number room
• To realign fields of knowledge
• Reconstructed Schedules ("Phoenix schedules")
• An entire schedule is reconstructed without regard to previous divisions
• Rarely used due to integrity of numbers practice

Classifying with DDC

• First, determine subject of work
• Subject analysis is central to library classification
• Must determine the intent of the author by examining:
• Title - never the sole source 
• Table of contents - lists main topics discussed
• Preface and introduction - can indicate author's intent
• Scanning text, itself - provides guidance and confirmation
• Bibliographic references - can also list topics discussed
• Outside sources - helpful for verifying advanced subject
• Second, determine discipline of work
• Guiding principle is that a work is classed int he discipline for which it is intended rather than in the discipline from whicht he work is derived
• This enables works that are used together to be shelved together
• EXAMPLE: Zoologist's book on agricultura pest control would be classed with other books on pest conrtol rather than with other books on zoology.
• Third, translate findings into appropriate DDC class

     *NB*

• What to do with multiple subjects/same discipline:
• Class works covering interrelated subjects with the subject that is being acted upon (rule of application):
• "Shakespeare's Influence on Keats" with Keats
• "Great Depression's Impact on American Art" with American Art
• Class works covering two subjects equally with the subject whose number appears first in the schedules (first-of-two rule):
• There may be exceptions in instructions in the schedules
• Class works covering three or more subjects that are all subdivisions of a broader subject with the first higher subject that includes them all (rule of three):
• "History of Portugal [946.9, Sweden [948.5] and Greece [949.5]" is classed with the history of Europe at 940.
• What to do with more than one discipline:
• These works are examples of interdisciplinary research
• Interdisciplinary is predictable; therefore, there may already be a place in the schedules for works that are interdisciplinary:
• Check for interdisciplinary numbers such as 305.231
• Class works not give an interdisciplinary number in the discipline given the fullest treatment.

Key Features of Schedules and Tables

• Summaries
• Summaries provide an overview of the structure of a class
• "Birds Eye View" of a section of the DDC to help classifier to focus in on the possible classes numbers for a work
• Because of hierarchical force, summaries at main class, divisional and sectional levels hold for all subordinate class numbers
• Entries
• Each entry contains a Dewey class number and descriptive information:
• Heading
• Notes
• Additional Dewey class numbers may be:
• In parenthesis - these numbers provide alertatives to standard practices
• In brackets - these numbers represent subjects that have been discontinued or relocated
• Notes
• Notes provide additional information that is not obvious from a class' position in the notational hierarchy.
• Classes of notes:
• Notes that describe what is found in a class
• Including notes
• Notes that describe what is found in other classes
• Notes that explain changes or irregularities
• Scope notes - definition used within a knowledge organizing system to say what a term means within that system (see 700)
• Former-heading notes reflect that the formal label for the classmark has changed (see 281.63)
• Variant-name notes notate that a specific number goes by different names (see 332.32)
• Class-here notes - confirmation that you're in the correct place (see 371.192)
• Including notes - "Including" is a code word that notates a specific number is about to go through an expansion (see 362.16)
• Class-elsewhere notes - offers other places that the book might ought to be placed(see 791.43)
• See references notes (see 577.7)
• See-also references (see 584.3)
• Revision notes are used to indicate when a subdivision or class has been completely or extensively revised.
• Discontinued notes - (see 004.696)
• Relocation notes - (see 687.43)

Number Building

• Synthesis of two numbers to create a complex Dewey class number.
• Can be multiple Dewey numbers synthesized into a single number:
• Book on advertising in libraries (659.1902)
• Use 659.19 for advertising in special organizations
• 02 for libraries (dropping the trailing 0 from 020)
• Can be synthesized:
• Using one of seven Dewey tables
• Using a "Number-built note" (see 353.13263

DDC Tables

• Table 1 - Standard Subdivisions:
• Contains mnemonics for standard subdivisions
• Used to add facets to the class number (education is 072, geographical is 09, etc)
• Used to connect a subject with a standard facet
• - 01 Philosophy and theory
• - 02 Miscellany
• - 03 Dictionaries, encyclopedias, concordances
• - 04 Special topics
• - 05 Serial publications
• - 06 Organizations and management
• - 07 Education, research, related topics
• - 08 History/ description with respect to kinds of persons
• - 09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment
• When analyzing Table One numbers (and Table One numbers ONLY), looking for the connecting "0" between subject and facet
• Look up subject class in the schedules
• Look up facet class in Table One
• Most of the time, the connecting "0" is the first occurence:
• 635.13074 = 635.13 for Carrots and 074 for catalogs
• But not always: 020.25 = 020 for LIS and 025 for Directories
• Table 2 - Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons:
• Contains mnemonics for geographical areas, etc. 
• Used to add geographic facets to the class number:
• United States: 973
• Southeastern States: 975
• Alabama: 976.1
• Tuscaloosa County: 976.184
• Table 3 - Subdivisions for the Arts, for Individual Literatures, for Specific Literary Forms:
• Contains mnemonics for subdivisions for the arts, for individual literatures, for specific literary forms
• Tables 3A-3C needed to determine specific notation to be used
• Table 4 - Subdivisions of individual languages and language families
• Table 5 - Racial, ethnic, national groups
• Table 6 - Languages
• Table 7 - Groups of persons

Classification of Resources I: Concepts, Problems, Issues

Two Perspectives on Classification

• Classificationists (i.e. editor) - those who create and edit the conceptual places to put things
• Need to create workable classifications
• What is the basis for a classification?
• What are the ramifications of a classification?
• How hospitable is a classification to changes in knowledge over time?
• Classifiers - those who place things into these created places when organizing
• Need places to put things
• Is there a place for this thing?
• Is this think with other like things?

Classical Classification

• Aristotle and the natural world:
• Mutual exclusivity: "in or out" - something is an animal or it is not an animals
• Inheritance: based on the assumption that there is a natural hierarchy to the world (all animals share same characteristics that differentiate them from plants)
• Basis for scientific classification
• Medieval scholastics and their resources:
• Classification of scholarly materials based on the academic divisions of study of that time - 
• This classification reflected those areas taught to scholars. 
• Classification provides the basis for shelf arrangement.

Scientific (Linnaean) Classification

• Largest example of formal classification:
• Managed over time by classificationists
• Binomial nomenclature (genus/species)
• Specific rules for classifiers to follow (e.g., members of the same species are capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring)
• Follows classical approach:
• Mutual exclusivity of classes
• Inheritance
• EXAMPLES:
• Two species contexts:
• Human classification
• Whale classification
• Dealing with changes in the classification itself:
• Evolution of existing species - e.g. newly emerging drug resistant infectious diseases.
• Newly discovered species - e.g., the division of Monera into two distinct kingdoms

Library Classification

• Inspired by scientific classification:
• Early library classificationists were leaders in the application of classification principles outside of the scientific domain
• However, book classification provided challenges in comparison to the classification of natural objects
• Is a book like a starfish?
• Historically U.S. libraries used classification for shelf arrangement, while European libraries used classification to facilitate retrieval of surrogates:
• Open stacks require a system for shelf arrangement of books
• Closed stacks rely on the catalog to provide logical groupings

The Nature of Book Classification

• Collocating objective: Bringing like things together on library shelves:
• Subject criterion: What about books on multiple topics?
• Author criterion: What about books by multiple authors?
• Subject/author criteria: What about books by the same author on different topics?
• Solving the need for a system of unique identification in open stack libraries through notational systems an call numbers.

Questions in Book Classification

• How do libraries provide for the collocation of like books (2nd Cutter objective) while at the same time facilitating the retrieval of known items (1st Cutter objective)?
• Cutter's solution - two part call number:
• Call number is made up of the class notation (classmark) and the Cutter number
• The classmark provides for the fulfillment of the collocation objective
• The system for Cuttering provides unique call within each library that provides for the known item retrieval objective - helps with unique idenfitifaction.
• A book is not a starfish:
• Books, as physical objects can only be in one place at a time, even if they are about multiple topics
• Libraries do not buy multiple copies
• Conceit of the cataloger revisited
• What about networked resources: Is a website a starfish?
• Comparison of I.S. and European libraries:
• U.S. libraries: open stacks and "mark and park"
• European libraries: closed stacks and classified cataloging (i.e., the assignment of book to multiple classes)
• How many books should be grouped together in the stacks (the efficient browsing problem):
• Broad classification
• Detailed ("close") classification
• How should books within each class be displayed (the subarrangement problem)
• We will compare the needs of the typical research library, with its larger collection of specialized books, with the typical public library, with its smaller collection of broader books.

Four Types of Library Classifications

• Universal: Intended to organize all of knowledge:
• DDC
• LCC
• UDC
• National General: Same as universal, but limited to a specific country:
• Nederlandse Basisclassifatie
• Subject Specific: Intended to organize a domain:
• NLM Classification
• Homegrown: Built as needed (e.g., Yahoo directory)

Classification Concepts

• Broad versus Close Classification
• General strategy employed by individual libraries. 
• How many class numbers to use?
• The larger collection, the closer the classification (i.e., more books require more detailed class numbers)
• Can vary within a library's collections (i.e., a given library may have larger collections in a certain subject area)
• Otherwise, there will be too many books classed together or there will be too few books under each class (each of which impede efficient browsing)
• Classification of Knowledge versus Classification of a Particular Collection
• Relates to the intent of the classification:
• Classification of knowledge approach provides pigeonholes for all subjects in advance of the use of that classification
• Particular collection approach has mechanism to create new pigeonholes as resources are added to collection (literary warrant)
• DDC began as universal, but updates to the classification are now through literary warrant.
• LCC began through literary warrant, but the nature of the LC collection makes the LCC a  de facto universal scheme.
• Notational Integrity Over Time
• Attempting to Maintain the same meaning of a class notation over time:
• Response to the problem of accounting for the growth of knowledge over time
• A challenge for the classificationist
• Classifications can be designed to handle the growth of knowledge
• Fixed versus Relative Location in Closed and Open Stack Libraries
• In terms of efficient storage, what is the most obvious characteristic of an open stack library?
• When storage space is at a premium, use the fixed location approach of closed stacks libraries. 
• Resources can be efficiently stored by size
• The call number is an accession number
• Relative location approach is employed in open stack libraries:
• Physical spaces in collection allow for growth of the collection without a lot of shifting
• Relative addressing is the key
• A library collection is a single, linear sequence of books
• The Case of Journal Shelf Arrangement
• Alphaetic or classified?
• Alphabetic by title:
• Less costly to manage
• What about title changes?
• Problem: Journals on the same subject are scattered across the collection
• Classified by subject:
• Journals arranged by subject
• Title changes are accommodated
• Problem: Users must look up call number to find journal (this is not the case with alphabetical arrangement)
• Faceted Classification (Non-hierarchical)
• Can be part of a comprehensive system, e.g., Colon Classification:
• Can be part of hierarchical system as non-hierarchical specification of the aspects of a subject:
• DDC and LCC have tables for geographic and other facets
• Often used for web organization:

Article Summary for Lecture # 11 - Barite

The Notion of "Category":

Its Implications in Subject Analysis and in the Construction and Evaluation of 

Indexing Languages

       Mario Guido Barite, a professor and researcher at the School of Librarianship at the University of the Republic in Uruguay, attempts to tackle the notion of category (a basic intellectual tool for the analysis of the existence and changeableness of things) and proposes conceptual and methodological reexamination from a functional standpoint. Barite claims that "most classifiers or indexers assume the role of classificationist since the present state of indexing languages entails minor and major surgery be performed to adapt these languages to users' requirements." 

   

      Categories necessarily are the foundation of any organizational system of knowledge, however  category, characteristic, or class are sometimes used indistinctly. It is not possible to characterize categories in the Theory of Classification, as categories are extremely general abstract expressions. Categories are used as tools to discover certain regularities of the material world, but Barite suggest properties as a possible category to analyze the material world since categories are, in their basic nature, extremely simple notions. Within the Theory of Classification, categories are only relevant as instruments of analysis and organization of object, phenomena and knowledge, and classificationists are used in three precise activities Barite mentions:

• design, planning, and structuring of indexing languages or systems of knowledge
• modification or specification of classification tables
• the evaluation and analysis of indexing languages and systems of concepts through a set of parameters capable of establishing the grade of reciprocal tension among related concepts and their relevance and validity. 

       Since it is not possible to isolate the notion of category from those of object and analyst there are several object attributes that Barite suggests condition its study:

• Any object  is naturally dynamic and mutable - that being the case, in order for the analysis to be completed, the object must be captured at a certain time and abstraction from its reality is required at a given moment.
• The object may be real or ideal - it may have existed as may be corroborated by its existence registers or maybe it only has an immaterial existence, not physical, due to its nature. These particular characteristics seem to obstruct the analysis since analysts are condemned to act by approximation. However, once conventions have been clearly established by conses, abstract objects are easily systematized after agreement has been reached regarding what a theorem is or certain chronological and factual conventions of the French Revolution - the difficulty of giving intellectual access to the concept diminishes.
• Some objects have delimitation problems - attempts to produce a definition usually create discrepancies and shades of meaning among experts, so much that they may cause a certain aspect of the object to be placed within one category or the other. But we also have the difficulties posed by the concepts that do not attain conventional agreement. To exemplify, think of the difficulty of approving by consensus the basic statements towards the definition of the concept  labor flexibilization from the viewpoint of a sociologist with a Marxist orientation and another one of ultra-liberal ideas.
• A large part of the objects belong to, or occur in a phase of the time-space continuum, or rather flow along a section of that continuum. - Due to their mutating and dynamic nature, some objects achieve various configurations and undergo a double influence: that of the processes occurring as a result of the action of internal agents, and that of the processes caused by external agents. This double influence is the determinant of each specific configuration, since any object is in a given time and in a given spatial situation, the synthesis of the impacts brought about by such agents. 

      He then goes on to decompose the notion of category to extract its most typical characteristics:

• Every category is a sectorial one. 
• Every category implies a specific level of analysis. 
• Categories are levels of analysis external to the object.
• Categories are mutually excluding.
• Every category is highly generalizable. 
• Every category may admit, with reference to an object, variable levels of subdivision.
• Agreement has not been reached regarding a limited collection of categories.

Barite concludes that the proposition of greater attention on the definition of category, because it involves essential theoretical practical aspects for the reasonable command of the theory of concepts by specialists. I agree that it is important to dissect, correct, and fully understand terminology. If we can't fully understand the terminology within a an organization system, the system will not be efficient enough to get quality information into the hands of patrons with ease. The article is a bit philosophic, which made it somewhat of a struggle to read, but the heart of the article and Barite's ideas are spot on. I'd recommend this for organizers everywhere, as it really gets you to think about the elements of a system and the terminology used.

________________________________________________________________________

 For more information see the full article (citation below!)

 Barite, M. (2000). The notion of "category:" Its implications in subject analysis and in the  construction and evaluation of indexing languages. Knowledge Organization 27:4-10.